Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer network comprising: a) a plurality of computers, each having a unique address and being capable of generating addressed data packets intended for delivery to another one of said computers, each of said computers including an interface having a data output and a broadcast input; b) a plurality of data channels, each of which is connected to said data output of one of said computers, each of said data channels for receiving addressed data packets generated by said one computer; c) a broadcast channel connected to said broadcast input of each of said computers; and d) a network hub including (1) a plurality of ports each of which is connected to a respective one of said data channels for receiving addressed data packets and (2) a broadcast output connected to said broadcast channel; said network hub for sequentially merging addressed data packets received at each of said ports into a stream of data packets and for providing said stream of data packets to said broadcast channel for delivery to each of said computers.
2. The computer network of claim 1 further comprising a second broadcast channel wherein: said interface of each of said computers has a second broadcast input connected to said second broadcast channel; and said network hub further includes: a broadcast port for receiving a remote stream of data packets from a remote source; and a second broadcast output connected to said broadcast port and said second broadcast channel for providing said second broadcast channel said remote stream of data packets for delivery to each of said computers.
3. The computer network of claim 1 wherein the computer network comprises a plurality of said network hubs; each of said network hubs further including an expansion port for providing said stream of data packets; and said expansion port of one of said network hubs being connected to one of said ports of another one of said network hubs.
4. The computer network of claim 3 wherein the plurality of network hubs are serially connected together.
5. The computer network of claim 1 wherein said network hub further includes: a) a plurality of storage devices each of which is connected to a respective one of said ports, each of said storage devices for receiving and temporarily storing said addressed data packets generated by said respective computer; b) a processor connected to each of said storage devices for sequentially merging addressed data packets temporarily stored by each of said storage devices into a stream of data packets; and c) an internal bus connected to each of said storage devices and to said broadcast output for delivering said stream of data packets to said broadcast output.
6. The computer network of claim 5 wherein each of said interfaces further includes a local storage device connected to said data output for temporarily storing addressed data packets generated by said computer and for providing addressed data packets to said data output.
7. The computer network of claim 6 wherein said network hub communicates with said interface of each of said computers via the corresponding data channel, said local storage device temporarily storing addressed data packets upon receiving a signal from said network hub.
8. The computer network of claim 6 wherein each of said storage devices generates a signal indicative of the capacity of said storage device, said signal being generated when a predetermined amount of said storage device is filled with temporarily stored addressed data packets, said signal being sent to said port corresponding to said storage device which generated said signal; each of said interfaces including a signal input connected to said local storage device and to said data channel connected to said data output of said same interface, said signal input for receiving said signal front said port connected to said data channel; said local storage device temporarily storing generated data packets upon receiving said signal.
9. The computer network of claim 1 wherein each of said interfaces further includes a broadcast processor connected to said broadcast input for receiving said stream of data packets and for providing to the computer data packets from said stream of data packets which are addressed to said computer.
10. The computer network of claim 1 wherein each of said interfaces further includes a local storage device connected to said data output for temporarily storing addressed data packets generated by said computer and for providing addressed data packets to said data output.
11. A network hub for connecting a plurality of computers and communication media in a network, each of the computers being capable of generating data packets, the communication media including reception media and delivery media for connecting to each of the computers, the network hub comprising: a) a plurality of ports, each for connecting to the reception media and for receiving, via the reception media, data packets generated by one of the computers; b) a plurality of storage devices, each connected to one of said ports for receiving and temporarily storing data packets generated by the one computer; c) a processor connected to each of said storage devices for sequentially merging data packets temporarily stored by each of said storage devices into a stream of data packets; d) a broadcast output for connecting to the delivery media and for providing the stream of data packets to the delivery media for delivery to each of the computers; and e) an internal bus connected to each of said storage devices and to said broadcast output for delivering the stream of data packets to said broadcast output.
12. The network hub of claim 11 further comprising a broadcast amplifier connected to said internal data bus for amplifying the stream of data packets prior to delivery to the broadcast output.
13. The network hub of claim 11 further comprising an expansion port connected to said internal bus and being connectable to the communication media; said expansion port for receiving the stream of data packets from said internal data bus and for providing the stream of data packets for delivery to the communication media.
14. The network hub of claim 13 further comprising: a broadcast input for receiving a remote stream of data packets from a remote source; and a second broadcast output connected to said broadcast input for connecting to the delivery media and for providing the delivery media the remote stream of data packets.
15. The network hub of claim 13 further comprising: a first broadcast input and a second broadcast input for respectively receiving a first remote stream of data packets and a second remote stream of data packets from remote sources; and a second broadcast output connected to said internal bus for connecting to the delivery media; said first broadcast input and said second broadcast input being respectively connected to said broadcast output and said second broadcast output; the stream of data packets being sequentially merged with the first and second remote streams of data packets prior to being provided to said broadcast outputs; and said broadcast outputs for respectively providing the merged streams of data packets to the delivery media for delivery to each of the computers.
16. The network hub of claim 15 further comprising a first amplifier provided between said first broadcast input and said broadcast output, and a second amplifier provided between said second broadcast input and said second broadcast output; said amplifiers for respectively amplifying the merged streams of data packets.
17. The network hub of claim 11 wherein the network hub is mounted on a single card.
18. An interface for interfacing a computer to a network including a plurality of computers, the computer having a unique address and being capable of generating addressed data packets intended for delivery to another computer on the network, the interface comprising: a) a data input for receiving addressed data packets generated by the computer; b) a data output connected to said data input for delivering addressed data packets to the network; c) a broadcast input for receiving from the network a stream of addressed data packets including addressed data packets generated by any of the computers in the network; d) a broadcast processor connected to said broadcast input for detecting data packets from the stream of addressed data packets which bear the unique address of the computer, said broadcast processor for providing detected data packets; and e) a broadcast output connected to said broadcast processor for receiving said detected data packets and for delivering said detected data packets to the computer.
19. The interface of claim 18 further comprising a second broadcast input connected to said broadcast processor for receiving from the network a second stream of addressed data packets from a remote source; said broadcast processor detecting data packets from the second stream of addressed data packets which bear the unique address of the computer.
20. The interface of claim 18 further comprising a local storage device connected to said data input and said data output for temporarily storing addressed data packets generated by the computer prior to delivery to the network.
21. A method for communicating data packets in a network including a plurality of computers, each of the computers being connected to a network hub by a respective delivery channel and a broadcast channel, the method comprising the steps of: generating addressed data packets by the plurality of computers; transmitting said generated data packets to the network hub via the delivery channel; receiving said transmitted data packets at the network hub; sequentially merging said received data packets into a stream of data packets at the network hub; and broadcasting said stream of data packets from the network hub to each of the computers via the broadcast channel.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of: temporarily storing said received data packets at the network hub prior to sequentially merging said received data packets into said stream of data packets.
23. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of: amplifying said stream of data packets at the network hub prior to broadcasting said stream of data packets.
24. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of: receiving a remote stream of data packets from a remote source at the network hub via another delivery channel; and broadcasting said remote stream of data packets to each of the computers via another broadcast channel.
25. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of: transmitting said stream of data packets to another network hub.
26. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of: receiving a remote stream of data packets from a remote source at the network hub via another delivery channel; sequentially merging said remote stream of data packets with said stream of data packets; and broadcasting said merged stream of data packets to each of the computers via the broadcast channel.
27. A computer network comprising: a) a plurality of computers, each having a unique address and being capable of generating addressed data packets intended for delivery to another one of said computers, each of said computers including an interface having a data output and a broadcast input; b) a packet-merging channel; c) a plurality of storage devices, each being connected to said data output of said interface of one of said computers and to said packet-merging channel, each of said storage devices for receiving addressed data packets generated by said one computer, for temporarily storing said received addressed data packets, and for merging said temporarily stored addressed data packets into a stream of data packets on said packet-merging channel; and d) a broadcast channel connected to said broadcast input of each of said computers and in communication with said packet-merging channel, said broadcast channel for receiving from said packet-merging channel said stream of data packets and for delivering to each of said computers said stream of data packets.
28. The computer network of claim 27 wherein said plurality of storage devices are disposed on a network hub.
29. The computer network of claim 27 further comprising a network hub; said plurality of storage devices and said packet-merging channel being disposed on the network hub; said network hub having a broadcast output connected to said packet-merging channel and said broadcast channel; said network hub delivering said stream of data packets to said broadcast channel via said broadcast output.
30. The computer network of claim 27 wherein said storage devices are respectively disposed on said interfaces of said computers.
31. A computer network comprising: a plurality of computers each having a unique address and capable of generating data packets addressed to another one of said computers, each of said computers including an interface with a port; a plurality of data channels each connected to said port of one of said computers for receiving data packets therefrom, each of said data channels capable of two-way communication; and a network hub including: a plurality of ports each connected to one of said data channels for receiving data packets from said one data channel; a processor for sequentially merging data packets received at each of said ports into a stream of data packets and for providing said stream of data packets to said plurality of data channels for delivery to each of said computers; and a plurality of storage devices each connected to one of said ports for receiving data packets therefrom, each of said storage devices for temporarily storing data packets received at said port connected thereto when said processor is merging data packets from another one of said ports into said stream of data packets.
32. A computer network as claimed in claim 31 wherein each of said interfaces includes a local storage device for temporarily storing data packets.
33. A computer network as claimed in claim 32 wherein each of storage devices of said network hub has a storage capacity; each of said storage devices of said network hub capable of transmitting a status signal to said interface associated therewith when said storage device surpasses a predetermined percentage of said storage capacity.
34. A computer network as claimed in claim 33 wherein each of said local storage devices temporarily stores data packets upon receipt of a said status signal.
35. A computer network as claimed in claim 34 wherein each of said local storage devices temporarily stores data packets until said storage devices of said network hub associated therewith has merged data packets stored therein into said stream of data packets.
36. A computer network as claimed in claim 31 wherein each of said storage devices of said network hub has a storage capacity; said processor for monitoring said storage devices to determine which of said storage devices are nearing said storage capacity and to responsively merge data packets from said storage devices nearing said storage capacity into said stream of data packets.
37. A computer network as claimed in claim 31 wherein each of said data channels is a cable pair.
38. A network hub for connecting a plurality of computers and communication media in a network, each of the computers being capable of generating data packets, said network hub comprising: a plurality of ports each for connecting to the communication media and for receiving data packets generated by one of the computers; a plurality of storage devices each connected to one of said ports for receiving and temporarily storing data packets generated by one computer associated therewith; an internal bus connected to each of said storage devices and the communication media; and a processor for sequentially merging data packets temporarily stored by each of said storage devices into a stream of data packets on said internal bus and for providing said stream of data packets to the communication media for delivery to each of the computers.
39. A network hub as claimed in claim 38 wherein the communication media includes a reception channel and a delivery channel; each of said ports being connected to the reception channel for receiving data packets; and said internal bus being connected to the delivery channel.
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Unknown
June 13, 2000
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